Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon is under pressure this week to maintain funding for key suckler and sheep schemes run by his Department in Budget 2026.

It is understood that the top-ups delivered in last year’s budget, such as the €25/calf top-up in the National Beef Welfare Scheme and the extra €5/ewe in the Sheep Welfare Scheme, are in the firing line.

Election promises to support the tillage sector to the tune of €60m per year also need to be funded.

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However, the main challenge facing the Minister is to secure funding for the rollout of the new TB action plan.

“We are still in negotiations. This is the most delicate part. The challenges are all around getting funding for TB,” a source in the Department of Agriculture told the Irish Farmers Journal.

“That’s causing challenges, the Minister trying to maintain what he has for other schemes. It’s crisis time for TB, it needs to be nailed and we need to protect those that don’t have it and support those that do. To get the full funding for TB, pressure is on other schemes,” the source said.

Every single department is under “massive pressure” with this budget, the source said.

“Negotiations are usually finished well before this time; this year it’s particularly difficult.”

IFA livestock chair Declan Hanrahan said Minister Heydon must build supports for suckler farmers in next week’s budget to the €300/cow commitment he and his party gave to farmers in their election manifesto.

IFA sheep chair Adrain Gallagher said the support package the minister will provide in next week’s budget for sheep farmers will be a “clear indication of his and the Government’s commitment to sheep production in the country”.